


Child

by butterflyslinky



Category: The Hobbit (Jackson Movies)
Genre: Child Death, Gen, Past Character Death
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-25
Updated: 2015-09-25
Packaged: 2018-04-23 08:37:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 763
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4870374
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/butterflyslinky/pseuds/butterflyslinky
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Dwalin makes a careless comment that hurts more than he could have anticipated.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Child

**Author's Note:**

> Fill for this prompt: http://hobbit-kink.livejournal.com/14338.html?thread=26311682#t26311682

“Ori, put your scarf on! You’ll catch a chill!”

“Ori, your gloves! Your fingers will fall off!”

“Ori, eat some dinner, you’re skin and bones as it is!”

If there was anything more annoying than being fussed at, it was listening to someone else be fussed at even more. And when it came to Dori and Ori, there was no higher form of fussing, the type that left everyone in the camp embarrassed and guilty second-hand.

It was a testament to Dori’s skills that he could give everyone that feeling while lecturing a dwarf who wasn’t even his own child.

Dwalin rolled his eyes as Dori continued to nag. “Dori,” he said, when the other dwarf stopped for breath. “Do us a favor and never breed.”

It was just a joke, the sort of jab that was usually thrown around the camp, and Dwalin expected it to be received the same way, with a laugh and an insult in return.

Instead, the effect was immediate silence from all three of the Ri brothers. Ori froze, his eyes going wide, and Nori turned the deadliest glare he had on Dwalin.

“What?” Dwalin asked, just as Dori stood up, his face a mask of grief.

There was silence in the camp, as though no one was sure if a fight was about to break out. Fili and Kili were already shrinking down behind Thorin, who looked like he wasn’t sure whether or not to interfere yet.

But then Dori turned and ran off into the woods. Ori jumped up and followed. Nori simply glared at Dwalin for another minute before heading off in a different direction, no doubt to sharpen a knife.

Dwalin looked to the rest of the company, who only looked back at him silently.

“What did I say?” he asked dumbly.

*

It wasn’t until late the next day, when they were riding hard and not speaking much, that Ori found Dwalin near the back of the line.

“I owe you an explanation,” Ori said. “Before you apologize.”

“Apologize for what?” Dwalin said. “It was just a joke.”

“To you, perhaps,” Ori said. “But it still caused hurt to him.” He glanced at Dori, who was riding ahead, staring at nothing. “Do you remember oh, thirty, forty years ago? When we had that awful winter?”

“I remember.” Dwalin glanced at Ori. “There wasn’t much food…and then the children were all sick…”

“Yes,” Ori said. “Including me…and including my niece.”

Dwalin blinked. “Your niece?” he repeated.

Ori nodded solemnly. “She wasn’t much younger than me,” he said. “Dori…he had a wife, once…she was killed by wargs when she ventured out to find work…leaving him with his daughter.”

“I…” Dwalin didn’t know what to say. “I didn’t know…”

“Her name was Glori,” Ori continued. “And we both got sick…we were so young…it hurt so much. I know that the adults didn’t get it, but for us…we were dying and we knew it. She was ten years old…she cried so much…and there was no food, no money, and Dori was running himself ragged trying to care for us both. And in the end…she couldn’t shake it.”

Dwalin was silent, unsure of what he was supposed to say. How was he supposed to know that?

“She died in his arms,” Ori said. “She was cold and afraid and in pain…and we all thought I was only an hour or two from following. I don’t know why I survived…but that’s why he’s so fussy. That’s why he nags and worries over me.”

Dwalin nodded slowly. “I’m sorry, lad,” he said.

“Tell him,” Ori said.

*

Dwalin didn’t have a chance to speak to Dori until late that evening, when most of the rest of the company were asleep. Dwalin was on watch, but Dori was still sitting up. He had taken Ori’s sketchbook and turned to a page near the front, from before the journey.

Dwalin stepped up behind him and glanced at the page. It was a portrait of a young dwarf girl, too young to even have a beard, with a sweet face. It was a testament to Ori’s skill that even in paper and ink her eyes shown with innocence and love.

“Is that…?” Dwalin asked.

“That’s my Glori,” Dori whispered. “My baby girl…my world.”

Dwalin nodded. “I’m sorry,” he said.

Dori nodded and smiled slightly. “She has returned to the stone with her Maker,” he said.

Dwalin stared at the page for a long moment before he turned and walked away.


End file.
